


Always with you

by Arienhod



Series: Plot bunny farm [1]
Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: vigilante and the hacker
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-26
Updated: 2015-11-26
Packaged: 2018-05-03 13:25:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5292683
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arienhod/pseuds/Arienhod
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>SAVE HIM<br/>Two simple words. A message that couldn't be clearer and that made blood in his veins freeze. John Diggle didn't believe in guardian angels. But he had to admit Oliver obviously had one.<br/>In a form of an unknown hacker that kept assisting the Hood.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Always with you

**Author's Note:**

> First story in a series of one-shots inspired by some persistent plot bunnies.

John Diggle didn't believe in guardian angels.

Even after starting to work with Oliver Queen, and watch the younger man put on a green leather suit almost every night, that believe didn't change. The kid wasn't a guardian and he certainly wasn't an angel.

He was a vigilante.

He went after the corrupt men and women from the partially-ruined notebook.

The Hood wasn't protecting the city, he was avenging it.

And after accidentally finding the second notebook in a place where only his own mother could have hid it Oliver informed him he was going to talk to her. He hoped it would bring him closer to the answers he wanted ever since his father gave him the notebook.

They both expected it to be a simple mission; go in, question Moira Queen, get out.

That is why Dig stayed behind in the lair and kept an eye on the news channel, his phone by his side in case Oliver called him and needed assistance for whichever reason.

He just leaned back in the chair when suddenly all computer screens in front of him went black. A sigh escaped his lips, they needed some new equipment and fast. This old one was glitching at times and it was getting really annoying.

Dig was about to get up and reach for the reset button on the computer set up on the floor below the desk when a short sentence appeared on the screen.

Two simple words. A message that couldn't be clearer and that made blood in his veins freeze.

SAVE HIM

Diggle didn't hesitate, didn't second guess the message even though he had every reason to do just that. Instead he reacted, he grabbed his phone and checked if his gun was in the holster at his waist before running out of the damp basement.

The car drive seemed to last for hours, despite it only being twenty minutes the most until he reached the business neighborhood.

"Shit." he mumbled seeing the blue and red lights in the distance. The police was already on the scene, there was no way he could get closer and not attract attention.

A short beep made him look at the car's GPS and his eyes widened at the instruction that appeared on the screen. That never happened before, he wasn't even aware that was possible.

But there it was.

2ND STR LFT

And then the message changed.

MAN DOWN

"Shit." he repeated, put the car back in drive, and continued towards Queen Consolidated.

As instructed he parked near the second street on the left, which was more a narrow alley than a street, and went to check it out with his hand firmly on the but of his gun, ready to pull it out at the first sign of trouble.

But apart of the stray cat there was nothing there and Diggle was about to get the phone out of his pocket and dial Oliver when a movement behind the dumpster aught his attention.

"Damn it, man." he muttered after kneeling down to push the hood back from his friend's head and check his pulse. It was weak, but it was there.

He arrived just in time.

Few minutes longer and tomorrow's front line story would be about newly resurrected Oliver Queen being the Hood, which was revealed when he was found dead in an alley after being shot by his own mother.

But thanks to the warning his secret is still safe and his heart is still beating.

John Diggle didn't believe in guardian angels. But he had to admit Oliver obviously had one out there.

"How did you found me?" was the first thing that came out of Oliver's mouth when he regained conciseness, "I tried to call you but my phone is busted."

"Someone told me you need help."

Oliver frowned. That made no sense. No one knew where he planed to go tonight, no one knew who he was; no one apart from Diggle.

"Who? How?"

Dig moved to give him a clear view of the computer screens that still had the same message, "See for yourself."

It wasn't easy, but Oliver managed to get off the metal gurney despite the pain and walk towards the desk that housed his tech. He didn't even try to stand, instead opted to right away take a seat in the chair.

One glance at Dig told him the older man was just as confused as he was about this turn of events.

He was just about to ask if Diggle ever encountered something like this before when the message vanished from the screen. And few seconds later another one appeared.

BLOOD EVIDENCE DESTROYED

* * *

They wanted to investigate the strange event, but who ever was behind it was good at covering his tracks. And soon their plan was pushed aside when a known, and internationally wanted criminal, appeared in Starling city.

He wasn't on the list, wasn't part of the mission his father left for him, but Oliver still started to research the man known only as Dodger.

"Not your usual target." Diggle commented when he saw the article on the computer screen.

"Did you hear what he did to the man that refused to steal the jewel piece for him?" Oliver leaned in the chair and looked at his friend.

"The bomb collar? Yeah." the older man shook his head in disgust, "Got an idea on how to deal with him? The police doesn't know his identity, so we need to plan a way to get him out in the open."

"I thought about it but-" Oliver's voice trailed off as he scrolled down on the news page.

"What?" Dig leaned closer, trying to figure out what caught his friend attention but there was nothing suspicious on the page.

Instead of answering Oliver stood up from the chair and walked few steps away. Dark eyes followed his tense movements curiously, before focusing back on the computer screen. He still didn't see what got his friend upset.

"I never really paid attention to it before." Oliver huffed, "I just saw it as strange coincidence."

"What are you talking about man?"

"The add at the bottom Diggle! I want to find a way to get the Dodger out in the open so I can track him down and stop him before he kills anyone else, and conveniently there is an add for the Starling City Cancer Society that is holding an auction this weekend at the same page as the news about the thief."

"Are you saying stuff like this happened before?" Dig wasn't really sure what to think. The part of him considered it to be just a coincidence. After all what else could it be.

But after the events from few days ago when someone got into their network and into the car's GPS system... how hard would for that person be to give them a nudge in the right direction?

Of course that came with a realization someone was spying on them to some extent.

"Few well placed adds. Sometimes pop-up pages appeared when I was looking for something, and it was always about exactly what I needed. I connected Lawton's laptop to the computer and it automatically decrypted." Oliver ran a hand through his hair with a groan, "I know I'm behind on technology, but I'm pretty certain it's not supposed to do that."

"Damn." Dig muttered, "What do we do?"

Oliver shrugged, "We go to the auction. My mother already received an invitation, my presence there won't be suspicious. We'll have to keep our eyes open for anything out of the ordinary."

* * *

Thea's presence, although Oliver wasn't all too happy with her being anywhere near a deadly jewel thief, helped with his cover. Moira was all too happy when both her son and daughter announced they were attending the auction. In her eyes a charity gala was far more suitable for a member of a Queen family than a foam party.

Oliver just noticed detective Lance talking to another police officer when Diggle approaching him in brisk steps and muttering under his breath, "We have a situation. And it's bad."

He followed his friend into a side room not far away from the main hall. And what he found there was the stuff like from his worst nightmares.

Thea was unconscious on the floor, and she had a wide metal collar around her neck with red lights on the compartment on the front.

"How did you found her?" he instantly asked before kneeling down and checking his sister's pulse.

"The door wasn't completely closed. My guess is he placed her in here so the police wouldn't realize he was in the auction." Dig placed a hand on Oliver's shoulder, "She's fine. The mark on her chest is from some sort of tasser he used to knock her out."

"You weren't by any chance in the bomb squad?"

Diggle shook his head, "Even if I was I wouldn't try to disarm this one. We're talking about remote control here, not a timer."

"I need to find the Dodger." Oliver concluded, "But I have no way to do that."

Seconds later Diggle's phone beeped and after checking the screen he looked at Oliver and grinned, "I'll guide you, go get the bastard."

"What?" Oliver looked at him, completely baffled.

Diggle only turned his phone to show him the message he just received.

CAN'T HACK BOMB

CAN TRACK DODGER

GO

Once The Dodger was caught and Thea was safe Oliver had the time to really think about what he had done tonight. He trusted a complete stranger he never met to guide him, he laid his sister's life in the hands of someone who his behind the computer screens.

How that person knew he needed help was just anther question that demanded answers, answers he may never get.

But with the Savior it seemed even the unknown hacker found its match. The first location Oliver drove to was a deserted building, no gun totting madman in sight.

"What?" he heard Diggle mutter over the comm in his ear.

"Dig, what's going on?"

"Hold on a sec, a second message arrived. 22nd and Mira... and beneath it he wrote... Underground."

Oliver frowned, "Sewage?"

"Subway." Diggle said suddenly and Oliver could hear clicking of the keyboard keys in the background as his friend spoke, "I'm having a bit of a problem getting the old subway map on the screen, but I'm pretty sure-"

"Starling doesn't have a subway." Oliver pointed out.

"Not anymore it doesn't. But I remember going with my dad, he took me to Rocket's game every Sunday." A curse followed before a shocked, "The hell!"

"Dig?"

"I got the old subway line map on the computer screen. The problem is I wasn't the one who put it there."

"The hacker?" he asked despite already knowing the answer.

"Yeah. Okay, 22nd and Mira, you have six minutes to get there. The nearest entrance to the tunnels is on the interaction of 21st and Central."

Oliver took a deep breath, "I'm on it."

The Hood saved the ADA that night. And for once the Starling city vigilante was seen as a hero, and not a killer.

Still, some refused to see beyond the bodies he dropped. One of them was detective Lance who still watched Oliver closely, waiting for him to slip up and make a mistake.

The whole thing with the Hood stopping some gun traders while Oliver was under house arrest obviously didn't do anything to persuade him he was barking on the wrong tree.

That is why, during yet another small gathering his mother organized for the closest fifty or so friends, Oliver found himself approached by a very confidant police detective.

"The Hood did an impressive thing last week, wouldn't you agree?" he asked and Oliver tried his best not to show surprise by that question, "Even more impressive when you take in consideration even the best guys in the police couldn't get in the Falk's system and track him down."

"Maybe you should hire the Hood then, detective. He obviously didn't have any problems." Oliver said and was about to excuse himself when Lance's words made him freeze.

"Or maybe the Hood got a really good hacker to help him." a smug smile appeared on detective's face as Oliver's mask of indifference slipped for a moment, "You didn't fool me, Queen. I know you are the Hood and I also know Oracle works with you. I will get both of you."

Diggle, who watched the exchange from the distance, approached Oliver after Lance walked away and muttered, "What happened? You have a strange look on your face."

"Detective Lance suspects the Hood had help from a hacker."

Dig glanced towards the policeman in question, wondering what he knew that they haven't. Perhaps it was time to get into SCPD files and see what they have on their resident hacking helper.

"Did he give you something we can work with? Anything?"

Oliver nodded, "A codename. Oracle."

* * *

"Thanks for meeting me here." Tommy said as Oliver walked to him in front of Big Belly Burger, "I felt like a neutral ground was the best option for this conversation."

"I agree. And I'm glad you reached out to talk to me in the first place."

The dark-haired man nodded silently. The truth was he stopped being angry at his friend in less then a day after accidentally learning the secret Oliver kept. After that it was disappointment that the guy he grew up with, who was as close to him as a brother, didn't consider him trustworthy enough to tell him about his nightly activities.

If Tommy could pick those nightly activities would be about particularly hot chicks that always tried to get his friend's attention at Verdant, and not about criminals.

But Oliver apparently considered his mission, or a task, or whatever he called it, important enough that he risked his life almost every night.

The least Tommy could do is sit down and listen to whatever Oliver had to say.

They were only few steps into the restaurant when Tommy bumped in a woman that was moving towards the exit.

Under different circumstances he would have noticed her instantly, despite the fact she wasn't exactly his type and he was in a happy relationship with Laurel for almost a year now. He preferred the leggy models, his girlfriend fitting right into the category even though he was the only one she ever modeled to.

This girl was more a sexy teacher kind of a girl, which was also kind of hot, but there were no long legs in high heels for him to stare at.

Apart from wearing jeans and flat shoes she was also sitting in a wheelchair, which explained why he didn't see her and bumped into her in the first place.

"Sorry." he muttered awkwardly, which was probably a first for Tommy Merlyn.

"No problem." she answer with a wide smile, "You dropped this in my lap."

He noticed she was holding his phone out for him, a phone he didn't even noticed he had let go from his grasp, "Thanks. It's good to know it landed somewhere cozy."

The blonde didn't say anything to that, just laughed, and skillfully navigated the floor towards the exit. It was obvious she had practice moving in the wheelchair, which led Oliver to conclude she was in it for a while now.

Before the glass door closed after her she turned and smiled at Oliver. And for some reason he smiled right back at her.

After that it took some time before he managed to focus on what Tommy was saying. Luckily they were more focused on their burgers, than a conversation. But once they were done there was no reason for them to keep postponing the inevitable.

"I hate it at Merlyn Global." was the first thing that left Tommy's mouth, "But I couldn't stay and work at Verdant after learning it was basically a cover for your... you know."

"So what are you planing to do?" Oliver decided to keep the conversation at the safe ground, not to mention his nightly job until Tommy does. He knew his friend wanted answers, explanations that would justified his killings in some way, but at the same time probably didn't want to know anything more than he already did.

"That's the thing... there is no plan. I only know that I won't be able to stand another week like the past one in the company. But I'm not sure I could work at the club either knowing what was going on underneath it."

"I can move it, if that would help you." Oliver couldn't believe he just made that offer, but for his friend he was willing to do even that. Find a new lair somewhere in the Glades and move his entire equipment there.

"Or you could help me understand."

Oliver smiled slightly, "Or I could do that. But don't ask me about the island... that I am not ready to talk about. I'm not sure I will ever be."

* * *

Detective Lance saw the vigilante as the villain.

He obviously considered himself a judge, jury and executioner, and for a man who swore to protect the people of Starling city that was unacceptable.

Yes, the evidence collected at the crime scenes every single time revealed the victim had a dirty secret and was corrupt, but there was a legal system that dealt with people like these.

It was not up to a one man who preferred arrows to dispense justice in the city.

But recent evidence suggested there were now two archers in the city, and that made his job even more complicated. Because for some reason the one in green looked like a good guy next to the dark archer that appeared few months later.

And on top of that there was that crazy hacker prowling the Internet. Several highly positioned individuals were arrested for miscellaneous crimes, after the documents they thought were safely stored on their computers found their way to the police.

On one occasion the detective the case was assigned to tried to cover up the crime that the hacker brought to their attention. Now the said detective is sitting in a cell in Iron Heights.

It was the first time Lance had to investigate one of his own colleges, and he hoped it was also the last.

And it seemed now the vigilante and the hacker joined forces.

Just what he needed. More stress in his life, on top of the fact his daughter was dating that Merlyn kid. And although he was better than Queen, he wasn't that much better.

Just as Lance was about to shut down his computer after finishing the report on the last case his phone ringed. He watched the screen in confusion for a moment, never before did he get stars instead of the number, or a name, showing.

"Detective Lance." he introduced himself right away upon answering.

_"I need your help detective."_ a strange sounding voice on the other side informed him.

"Wrong number. I don't help-"

_"You will if you wish to save Glades."_

Lance instantly sat up straighter, "What?"

_"The Undertaking, detective. The complete destruction of the Glades and all those who live there. It's happening tomorrow. I am giving you a way to save thousands of innocent lives."_ the voice said, _"Will you take it?"_

"Who are you?" he wanted to know.

_"I am the one you named Oracle. I am the one who almost paid the ultimate price for being smart enough to suspect. Just like Walter Steele."_

Lance was shocked at the namedrop. Walter Steele was reported missing months ago, and no evidence was ever found as to who the kidnappers were and where they took him.

"You know where he is, don't you?"

_"It took a while to locate him, but yes. I know where they are keeping him."_

Lance looked out of his office at the other detectives in his precinct and sighed, "I could get in so much trouble for this."

_"You received an anonymous tip. You will not get in trouble for checking it out."_

"Why contacting me directly then? Why not just send an e-mail like you usually do in this cases."

_"To get your attention. You need to act, detective. And you need to act now!"_

"Who is behind this?" he asked but received no answer.

The call disconnected and the new window opened on Lance's computer screen. It was a blueprint schematic of some sort of, he wasn't well versed in mechanics to recognize what it was, but the title at the top spelled it loud and clear.

"Markov's earthquake device... Not in my city."

Second window opened and he got the info he needed.

The address under Walter Steel's name was in Bludhaven and the other two had 'underground' written below them. As a rookie he had a case in the since shutdown subway, so he knew exactly that the info meant.

He pressed print on the window's top to get the addresses and a 'how to' on disarming the device on paper, before exiting his office and calling loudly to get the attention of his colleges.

It was going to be a long night.

* * *

Oliver sat in front of the computer screen and stared at the subway map. It pissed him off to know the answer was right there under his nose the whole time. But he never thought about researching the symbol at the first page of the notebook.

He never considered there could have been a bigger meaning behind it. If he had that maybe...

The screen in front of him turned black and Oliver braced himself. The hacker, Oracle, as Lance called him obviously had something to say.

POLICE ON THE MOVE

Oliver blinked in surprise, instantly his mind went to the worst case scenario of the police coming to Verdant because they figured out where the Hood's lair was.

But the second message got him off the chair and reaching for his suit and bow.

LANCE AGAINST UNDERTAKING

WATCH HIS BACK

* * *

Walter Steel was rescued when the SCPD SWAT team stormed a tenement building in Bludhaven.

The first earthquake device, that was placed at the exact location where Rebecca Merlyn died, was deactivated within minutes thanks to the detailed instruction on how to disarm it.

The second device was just being set up when a group of policemen surrounded the man wearing black outfit with a hood over his face. A bow and quiver filled with black arrows stood few feet from him.

"Don't even consider it." Lance warned him when he noticed the small movement the dark archer made, "You will look like Swiss cheese before you even get your hands on your bow."

"I am surprised the police is so eager to arrest me." his voice was rough, but it sounded familiar for some reason, "After all if I succeed your jobs will suddenly be so much easier. No more Glades... no more crime wave that is bringing the whole city down."

"You can't blame the whole city blocks for the crimes of few." Lance pointed out.

"Few?!" the man in front of him turned around and in rage ripped off his hood, shocking all policeman around him, "Few? They are all guilty! They all walked right past her and not a single one of them stopped to help! Not one of them called the ambulance!"

Lance suspected Oliver Queen was the Hood based on few facts and a lot of jumping to conclusion, something he as a police detective shouldn't really be doing, but it was a gut feeling and so far it was never wrong.

But never, in a million years, would he even consider that Malcolm Merlyn could be the dark archer. It was just unimaginable that a respected member of the community could commit so many crimes.

But then again he believed the same thing for Adam Hunt and few others who were targeted by the Hood. Only after their deaths did their crimes became known to the police.

But in the end it didn't matter who he was.

In the eyes of the law all men are equal.

While other policemen kept their guns firmly pointed at Malcolm Lance returned his into the holster and took out his handcuffs. Time to dot the i's and cross the t's.

He's not getting away on a technicality.

"Malcolm Merlyn, you are under arrest..."

Red and blue lights flashed all around, the policemen in uniforms keeping the crowd and the reporters away from the entrance to the long closed subway system.

On the roof of a one story building stood an archer in green, unnoticed by the people below. People who wanted to see what was going on, what was it that caused the police to swarm the Glades like never before.

Few gasps reached Oliver and he focused on the entrance, instantly noticing the familiar figure in black walking next to detective Lance.

The dark archer had his hood on, Oliver was certain it was Lance's decision to ensure the press doesn't get an exclusive until the police representative is ready to issue a statement. But he was now in custody, and that is all that matters.

A short vibration in his pocket switched Oliver's attention from the events on the street to the phone in his pocket.

He expected a text from Dig, it was more then likely the events down below hit the news right away. It wouldn't be the first time the regular program was interrupted to report something so big.

But it wasn't his friend who texted him. The number was unknown and the message made him gap at the screen.

MALCOLM MERLYN ARRESTED

UNDERTAKING STOPPED

* * *

Two days have passed since the big raid and rescue operation. Two days have passed since the citizen of Starling city learned a man that hid behind the mask of an entrepreneur was in fact plotting how to destroy a large part of the city and all those who lived there.

And the people were wondering who else was involved.

Unknown to them a certain hacker ensured the traces to the guilty are found by the police. All of them. Including Moira Queen.

And while the woman in question defended herself by claiming she was forced to assist because the lives of her children were threatened, many claimed they didn't have anything to do with the Undertaking.

But the evidence the police possessed proved otherwise.

"You okay man?" Oliver asked his friend again, his hand already on the door-handle, "If you need I'll stay."

Tommy just shook his head, "Nah, Laurel will be here soon. I'll be fine. Can't say I'm baffled my old man turned out to be a criminal."

"I'm sorry Tommy."

"I know. But it's not your fault. It's his, and I will have to find a way to move on and... I don't know." Tommy ran a hand over his face, "CNRI is in the middle of the Glades. If the earthquake hit... I would have gone there to save Laurel. I would have risked my life for the woman I love."

"Tommy..."

"And that is exactly what you do, I see that now." he stood up and walked to stand in front of Oliver. With a familiar movement Tommy placed a hand on his friend's shoulder and squeezed, "You risk your life every time you put that hood on, but not for someone you love. You do it for complete strangers who will never thank you for that."

"I never did it for the thanks. I did it to wight my father's wrongs and save the city."

"And it looks like you succeeded. With a little help from the police."

Oliver nodded before adding, "And a lot of help from a hacker."

"The same one that helped Laurel few times with her cases?" Tommy asked the moment a hacker was mentioned.

"You heard about this guy?" Oliver asked.

"Yeah. He's been helping you?"

Oliver nodded, "Saved my life... and Thea's life."

"Man, you've got some explaining to do. But not now. Laurel will be here soon and you are not needed as my wingman. So..."

"I'll see you tomorrow?"

Tommy nodded, "I'll be in Verdant at 7. I want to see what you did to my club while I was away."

"Your club?"

* * *

At precisely 7pm Tommy entered the club he and Oliver opened together to find his childhood friend already waiting for him inside. Since Oliver couldn't be on time even if his life depended on it he presumed he arrived earlier and spent time down below in the basement.

In the Hood's lair.

"Never expected to be back here." he muttered after taking a seat at the bar on Oliver's left.

"I'm glad you are." Oliver said honestly, "I never wanted my secret to destroy our friendship."

"My father contacted me over his lawyer. Wants to talk to me, explain the reasons behind his actions." Tommy suddenly stood up, went around a bar, and grabbed a bottle of scotch. He needed something strong now that he mentioned Malcolm.

"Are you going to meet him?" Oliver asked.

Tommy quietly poured two glasses, placed one in front of his friend and gulped down the liquid in his own, before pouring more in.

"Thought about it for a second. Decided I am not interested in his excuses. Laurel told me what he said to Lance when they caught him; he did it to punish everyone in the Glades for my mother's death."

Oliver didn't know what to say to that. Rebecca's death hit Malcolm really hard, he knew that because the man just left Starling a week after the funeral, leaving his son in the care of the housekeeper, and didn't return in six years. By that time Tommy was rebellious playboy who didn't give a damn about what his father wanted.

The tension was interrupted when a deliveryman opened the front door and peeked in. Both men at the bar were confused by his presence.

"Can I help you?" Oliver asked.

"Special delivery for Oliver H. Queen." the guy lifted a clipboard, "I need your signature and direction where to put all the boxes."

"I haven't ordered anything."

The deliveryman shrugged, "This is the address on the slip. I just deliver the packages."

Tommy, who came to stand next to Oliver, leaned closer to his friend and muttered, "Your middle name is Jonas."

"I am aware of that." Oliver muttered back as he signed the delivery slip.

Once the boxes were placed back in the storage with crates of alcohol needed for the club, and the front door locked up, Tommy grabbed a box-cutter from the shelf. It was Tuesday, not a big night for the club so there was no need to open up. Which was good cause they had a mystery on their hands.

"Should we contact the bomb squad?" he suddenly asked, a hand poised to cut open the ducktape.

"You think because of what our parents have done someone would send us a bomb?" Oliver wanted to hit himself for not thinking about it sooner. He couldn't believe he was so stupid.

"Yes. But sending five boxes was a bit too much."

"Not if you want to ensure the target doesn't suspect anything." Case-and-point tone of voice Oliver used made his friend gap at him. He so didn't want to know if that meant Oliver knew that from experience.

"The tag at this box says 'handle with care-contains electronics'. And the place you ordered it from, but actually didn't, is Oracle Tech. Nice name, not quite catchy, but I've heard worse."

"What did you say?" Oliver wasn't sure if he heard his friend correctly.

"I said the name isn't as catchy as... let's say Queen Consolidated. I personally never heard about it, not that I'm all that familiar with all the tech producing companies."

"Not that. The name. You said the company is-"

"Oracle Tech."

Oliver laughed, earning himself a look of confusion from his friend.

"It's safe to open."

Tommy carefully started to cut the ducktape when Oliver's phone chimed. In the silence of the storeroom it sounded twice as loud and startled both of them.

A message surprised Oliver and instantly he stood up and left the room, Tommy right on his heels.

In one swift movement he took the cell phone right out of Oliver's hand and saw the simple, albeit quizzical message.

TIME FOR THE MASKS TO FALL

NEED HELP COMING DOWN

The fact his friend didn't say anything about it, or demanded his phone back, didn't go unnoticed.

"Who is this from?" he asked just as they exited the hallway that led from the main club area to the storage room and the offices at the back.

"Me." a voice answered from the darkened area around the entrance.

Moments later a woman entered the floor, surprising them once more that night. Tommy gaped at her in shock, while Oliver gave her a suspicious look.

"How did you get in?" he eventually asked.

She just smiled, "You should know by now no electronic lock can keep me out. Not the one to the club, and not the one to your lair. Although I can't actually enter the basement..." she looked down at the wheelchair she was sitting in, "For obvious reasons."

"You're Oracle." Oliver breathed out.

"Surprised?" she asked, her brightly painted lips forming a wide smile.

Before he could confirm Tommy walked past him and offered his hand, "Thomas Merlyn. You can call me Tommy."

"Nice to meet you Tommy. You too Oliver." she turned to look at the other man, "Now, where are the computer parts I sent for the lair? Your current setting is so outdated I could have hacked it with my old Nokia 3310."

"I wish I could say the same but I don't actually know who you are."

A blush appeared on her face, and she pushed the glasses up on her nose after they slipped, "I'm Felicity. Felicity Smoak."

When Diggle arrived at the lair that night he was surprised to see Tommy sitting with Oliver next to the table that housed the computer. What was even more surprising was the fact three screens on the desk were brand new, and a head full of blond hair was partially obscured by one of them.

"Is there something I should know?" he asked after stepping down on the concrete floor and moved towards them.

Instantly the blonde looked up and Dig saw it was a young woman. Seconds later she moved around the desk, skillfully navigating her wheelchair.

Oliver stood up as she stopped next to his chair and grinned at Diggle. It was a look he never saw on his perpetually gloomy friend.

"Dig, remember the hacker Lance called Oracle?" his friend nodded as he watched the blonde with interest, "Meet Felicity Smoak."

Two hours later, once the new computers were up and running without a hitch, the four of them were upstairs in Verdant.

Dig, who was by nature a suspicious person, warmed up to the young woman instantly. He didn't know a single thing about her, apart from her name, but she saved Oliver's life when she didn't have to. That was enough to gain his respect.

"I guess I'm going to be the nosy one who just had to ask." Tommy leaned back in the chair he was using and looked at Felicity, "How did you end up in a wheelchair?"

"I was in intern in Queen Consolidated." Oliver's blue eyes widened as she started her tale, "During some basic work on the servers I discovered content that worried me, e-mails that originated from Merlyn Global. Next day the head of IT department called me into his office and informed me my internship is over. On my way home I was in a hit and run accident, the driver was never found." she sighed, "I can't say for certain those two things are connected but-"

"But there is a big chance they are." Oliver finished for her, "Can you tell me the content of those e-mails?"

"They were two years old when I found them. It was confirmation and a threat... I'm sorry... they were sent to your mother."

"About the Gambit." it wasn't a question, Oliver knew exactly what she meant without her having to say it.

"And you've been bound to a wheelchair since." Dig concluded, "Permanently?"

Felicity shook her head, "No. I can somewhat feel my legs, it's not a completely lost cause. I just require physical therapy to walk again. And that was impossible for someone who went off the grid."

"I feel like I should apologize for my father's actions." Tommy said.

"I feel like I should too, for bugging your phone so I can get access to the company's servers." Felicity informed him, "I suppose I should remove it now."

"You what?" Tommy gaped at her.

"Don't worry, I won't tell anyone about that steamy phone sex three nights ago." she said before biting her bottom lip so she wouldn't laugh at the looks of horror on the faces of all three men. And here she thought guys weren't bothered when sex was mentioned in a casual conversation.

Tommy was first to snap out of it. He leaned closer to Felicity and asked with a grin, "And did you like what you heard?"

She merely shrugged, "I heard better."

Oliver hit his friend over the back with a wide grin on his face, "Give up Tommy."

"You can't beat her man." Dig agreed with Oliver.

Felicity's phone pinged and she checked to see what was going on. Moments later she looked at Oliver, "I linked the programs I set up downstairs to my phone. Just got an alert about armed robbery in a free clinic four blocks from here. The perpetrators seem to be after the medicine."

Oliver didn't say anything, just scooped Felicity right out of her wheelchair making her squeal, and started to walk towards the door that led into the lair.

"You can man the computers from the lair. I have a few comms, so we will be in direct contact the whole time."

"If you're up to it." Diggle said from behind and Felicity looked over Oliver's shoulder at the older man who watched them curiously.

"I can watch the action from here or over the street cameras from home. This way I can inform you about upcoming trouble easier." she said with a shrug as Oliver placed her in the computer chair in front of the desk. It wasn't the best solution but the wheelchair was still upstairs cause Dig rushed after them and Tommy was too lazy to bring it down in the lair.

"You won't have to hack our phones or the car's GPS this way." Dig pointed out.

Tommy, who was unaware of all the things Felicity did in the past to help them, gaped at the blonde who looked like she was meant to be on that exact spot in the lair of the Starling city vigilante.

He knew she was good, Laurel said so herself after the hacker helped with few of the more trickier cases, but he had no idea she was this good. He wasn't even aware the car's GPS could be hacked.

"Is there anything you can't do?" he asked in shock.

Felicity turned her head to look at him and deadpanned, "Walk."

Oliver, who just exited the bathroom where he changed into his green leather suit, placed a hand on her shoulder to get her attention.

When blue eyes hidden behind the glasses focused on him he smiled slightly and said shortly, "Yet."

* * *

Felicity giggled as Oliver carried her over the threshold of the Queen mansion. She thought he was being ridiculous and that it was completely unnecessarily.

But he insisted.

He also insisted for it to be the front door threshold, and since the reception was in the mansion gardens he carried her all around the large house, despite her protests.

"Welcome home Mrs. Queen." he said with a smile as he lowered her down.

Instantly Felicity bend down to remove her shoes, they were brand new and pinched her toes the whole time. Well, almost the whole time. She also took them off during dinner, luckily no one saw thanks to the long tablecloth. No one apart of Oliver who just laughed and kissed his new wife.

But it was so surprise he noticed that. He noticed every single thing about her today.

His blue eyes followed her every movement from the moment she appeared at the french doors that led to the garden, slowly walking down the aisle towards him.

Months of physical therapy paid off, months of hard work and dedication. But finally Felicity managed to use her legs properly again. And the first thing she did once the therapist cleared her was to walk down the stairs in the lair and hug him.

That was the day they decided this thing between them was real and did something about it.

Next year on that date he proposed.

And despite he always considered himself to be a man who would never settle down with a single woman it felt right. He couldn't imagine not having her by his side every single day. He didn't want to.

Like Diggle he didn't believe in guardian angels.

He didn't need one. He had the Oracle.

Thea's voice carried through the house towards the foyer and made Oliver snap out of his musings and approach Felicity who watched him with a small smile on her lips. She was used to him wondering off in his mind from time to time.

"Where were you this time?" she asked.

"With you. Always with you."


End file.
